James Maund

Biography

James Maund is an Architect with over 25 years experience in his chosen field.

In the mid to late 1990’s James down sized his Architectural practice to start up an an internet business.  After running the internet business for 8 years James sold the business. By selling the internet business James now had the resources to peruse his main passion, helping improve Australia's natural environment.

In 2007 James began creating the Frogwood Arboretum on 100 acres, 40 hectares, of land in the foothills of the Otway ranges in South West Victoria.  The focus of the Arboretum is to plant great trees species of the world in groves of the same species. All tree species that are planted at the Arboretum are Original species i.e. not cultivars.

One of the main components of the Arboretum is approximately 1km of creek that runs through the property. The creek is a relatively new addition to the landscape having come into existence through erosion when the original marsh was drained to create agricultural land. The creek which is now approximately 10m deep and 40m wide was essentially an eroded drain full of weeds and exotic pests when James purchased the land for the Arboretum. 

The process of helping rehabilitate the creek running through the Arboretum led James to consider ways in which his previous Architectural experience could be used to help encourage the rehabilitation of Australian waterways in general. James is currently writing on an online “Contemporary best practice guide” for creek rehabilitation in Australia.

While still maintaining a small Architectural practice, James plans to continue learning about and documenting best practice techniques in rural creek rehabilitation while further developing Frogwood Arboretum.